What if you left college with an engineering degree and an MBA, only to realize your best opportunity was back home in the family auto shop?
In this episode, Hunt Demarest sits down with Brad Templin of Scott's U-Save, a fourth-generation automotive professional and second-generation owner running multiple locations across the Midwest. Brad shares the real story of what it's like to return to a family business after pursuing a corporate career, work alongside your mom, and navigate the challenges of succession planning in an era when private equity is knocking on every door.
Drawing on his own journey from aerospace engineering to MBA to tire tech, Brad explains why he spent his first six months working in the bays, how he and his mom built mutual respect through honest communication, and what it takes to grow a business when you're competing against both private equity buyers and the temptation of a comfortable corporate salary.
This episode tackles the hard conversations every family business faces: working with parents, handling disagreements when personal relationships are on the line, deciding between private equity offers and building something on your own, and why succession planning doesn't have to mean selling to the next generation or selling out completely.
Brad also shares practical advice on how to maintain family relationships when business tensions run high, and why honesty — even when uncomfortable is the foundation of making it work.
What you'll learn…
(03:15) How a fourth-generation automotive family built and rebuilt across 100 years
(04:35) Why Brad's great-grandfather invented the hub-and-spoke model in the 1920s—the same strategy private equity uses today
(08:50) The influence of education on career paths
(12:00) Cultural shifts in the automotive industry
(15:33) Building trust and respect in a family business
(18:15) Why Brad spent six months as a tire tech before taking on leadership
(24:50) Investigating family dynamics in business
(28:59) Navigating growth and trust: Separating business disagreements from personal relationships
(30:00) Why Brad admits he's not the 'bootstrap entrepreneur' — and why that's okay
(34:15) Private equity: How Brad and his mom decided whether to sell or keep building
(37:35) The real question: 'Are we still having fun?' — and why that matters more than the money
(43:10) The future of the industry
(48:30) Brad's advice for struggling family businesses
Thanks to our partner Promotive
It’s time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/
Thanks to our Partner WickedFile
Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/
Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair
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